Fel
by 12purewizard
Summary: The Burning Legion succeeded in taking over Azeroth. Now Sargeras is focusing in new worlds to conquer. Few demons remain on the now corrupted planet. The remainder of mortal races having no choice but to hide in the ruins of their former glory.
1. 1 No trial

"It be time, lass."

The brown bearded dwarf looked through the steel bars of the cell. But all he saw was the darkness. His ears slowly perked up as he heard the soft rattling of iron chains on stone floor. Out of the darkness came a face, accompanied by a body. The female looked to be not older than 18. She still had a youthful face, although now it was scarred with worry and fear. Her once golden locks dirty from laying on the ground. She was wearing nothing more than simple rags, crafted by someone who could not see the difference between thread and rope.

Not that it mattered, the dwarf thought.

"Hol' your hands where I can see 'em."

The girl slowly lifted her arms as far as the iron chains would let her. She peered at the guard, her eyes seemed hollow, her gaze daft. The guard sighed as he took a heavy brass keychain from his belt, slowly touching each key, wording without sound the origin of each key, before getting to the right key for the job. The cell door cringed as the key was inserted and turned around.

These days, the cells seemed to be more occupied then in the days before the Happening. The dwarf seemed lost in thought as he automatically grabbed the chains holding the girl.

"Dun' ya try any of that foul stuff though."

The girl remained silent as they slowly started to walk down the dark hallway.

Old Ironforge used to be a place of reverence and wisdom. Now it was a mere prison for those practicing the foul arts or conspiring against the regime. But it still had some beauty. The guard looked at the gems encrusted on the walls as they slowly walked up the stairs. His iron armor did not help with the climb as he started to breathe a little heavy. As they walked next to a lit brazier, the face of the girl turned a thousand years older.

The red tabard with the black hammer of the guard slowly moved with every step he took. A reminder of the new regime since the Happening. Afterwards it had been the Dark Iron that had secured their place amongst the leaders of the city. This was no democracy. It was a mere dictatorship.

As the two entered through a large door they could hear people speaking, whispering some even yelling.

"DEAD WOMAN WALKING!" yelled one of the men standing near the entrance. Other started yelling all kind of obscenities towards the woman. She just kept her gaze directed at her feet as she slowly shuffled behind the guard. The guard ignored the comments but his gaze hardened slightly.

The gathered folk were a mix of different faces with different features. You had the long bearded dwarves who had remained within their own city. Amongst them also several smaller individuals wearing all manner of goggles and overalls. The gnomes had sought sanctuary within the city of their closest brethren. They were granted admission, for a price. There were also a few humans and elves amongst the crowd. Scavengers seeking refuge. Not all were granted access to the Mountain. Only those who had something to offer, were it goods or services. Although goods tend to run dry.

The two slowly made their way into the throne room. Before them a great throne doomed up. At both sides of it there were big chunks of rock missing from the wall. It had been the doing of the new Matriarch. She had teared down two thrones. For the council of Three Hammers was gone. Only one Hammer remained. The true Matriarch.

As they neared the throne the guard released the woman of her chains as he walked to a nearby side entrance. Not wanting to watch. He had seen enough of these procedures in the last months.

"Lethine Bronzecrag. Do you know why you have been put before me?" The dwarven woman on the throne stood up, looking at the dirty female in her brown rags. She slowly used her hand to fling a little brown hair out of her face. She wore a dress, black as the night and a crown with a red gem encrusted within the gold frame. Nobody could deny it, although she was a hard woman, Moira Bronzebeard had a certain beauty that she used often.

The female looked up at the Matriarch. "I-I did nothing wrong my Lady… Please.."

Moira cackled, "How can you be so ignorant? You have been accused of the most serious of crimes… Performing fel magic."

When Moira finished her sentence, the room exploded in yells and snarls all around. The crowd was going mad at the mention of fel. "Slay her! Make her pay!" they yelled in unison.

The woman started to cry, "I didn't do anything I swear… I wouldn't even kno-". The woman was rudely interrupted.

"SILENCE! Keep your foul tongue for yourself, fiend." Moira glared at the female. "I will not tolerate this in MY city!"

The woman fell onto her knees crying, "Please Matriarch… have mercy… my father.."

Moira raised her hand. One of the guards in the room hurried towards the woman as he pulled her back to her feet. The woman looked at the guard questioning his actions. Moira nodded at the guard, as he then slapped the girl in the face with his plated glove. The girl gasped in shock as even more tears formed in her eyes.

"Speak out of turn again and I will do far worse.. And as for your father.. he's being judged by the Gods as we speak.."

Moira gestured towards a corpse hanging from the ceiling, a rope around his neck. The woman's eyes followed the gesture slowly, she then screamed in agony as she fell onto the floor again. Tears streamed from her face onto the floor.

"DADDY PLEASE NO…"

Moira laughed, "Daddy is gone now, witch. But you shall soon join him. Listen to my judgment for it is the only absolute truth! You are hereby banished from the Mountain! Join the other witches."

The crowd began to cheer and applaud, yelling Moira's name in admiration. The woman did not seem to care as she just lay on the floor crying. Several guards moved towards her, grasping both of her arms.

"No.. no… please… not outside… no please Matriarch…" The woman kept begging as she was slowly dragged out of the throne room. Moira just looked at her with a wicked smile on her face. Nobody would endanger her rule. Nobody.

The guards threw the woman inside a room as they quickly closed the large iron door.

"No! You cannot do this! I did nothing wrong!" The woman yelled as she banged onto the door, in fear. She heard a crackling as the door on the other side started opening. "Walk or you will be fired upon." One of the guards yelled through a buzzbox.

The woman covered her eyes with a hand as the bright light seemed to almost blind her. She kept on crying as she slowly shuffled towards the exit. The guards looked at the woman as she slowly walked out of the room. The woman turned around looking at her home. She slowly fell to her knees as the fel corruption already began to take effect. She cringed as she coughed. "We're… doomed.." The woman slowly lay down as the corruption really began to kick in. She screamed in agony, and then nothing. The guards sighed as they slowly closed the door again.


	2. 2 The market

The Commons street market was crowded as always. A beehive of different sights and smells brought to life by its buzzing activity. As soon as the first visitor walked through the faintly lit corridors, one by one the shopkeepers opened their stalls like petals greeting the morning light. With it they exposed the colorful interiors and filled the commons with a sense of life not seen anywhere else in the Mountain.

In the inn you could already smell the aroma of ale and smoked cod. Some of the dwarves still complained about the lack of boar, yet due to the Happening no boars had been seen in quite some time, so they had to resort to fishing in the caverns below. Luckily the great cooks of the commons were capable of making the smallest mushroom in a delicious feast. The aromas were enchanting, as if you'd be able to simply taste the fish and ale through the air itself.

"Get ya fish 'ere! Freshly caught in the Forlorn!"

One of the shopkeepers yelled through the commons as several children ran laughing and jumping through the different pathways in between the maze of stalls. Their eyes grew wide as they stopped by a stall. Before them lay a display filled with all sorts of sweets. You had a pile of different kinds of chocolate from Buttermilk to Dark Desire. There was so much variety for the children to merely look at. There were sour suckerpops and nutterbar. On the display also were heaps and heaps of different coloured lollypops.

The shopkeeper arched his brow as he looked at all these children. "Where are the stamps, boys and girls?" The children looked up, coming out of their seemingly hypnotic state, shaking their heads. The shopkeeper quickly rose and started to wave his hands around yelling in anger: "Go away little beggars! Come back when you actually have some stamps to show for!". The children ran laughing and skipping. The shopkeeper went back to sitting on his wooden chair sighing. He had preferred the times of old when people paid with coins.

Now people worked hard to get a few lousy pieces of parchment with a black stamp on it. The stamp resembling a black hammer covered in fire. This was now the currency in the Mountain for the coins that remained were melted and used for other things. Mainly the jewelry of the Matriarch.

As you strutted further into the market through stone paved sideways you came through stalls of every kind. Some had smalls pink haired gnomes next to them containing all manner of scrap material to use for engineering purposes. Across from it a gnome stood on his stall giving a demonstration of some device.

"Peoples and gents! Come closer to see the magnificent robo-chicken!"

The stall seemed crowded with people interested in the tinkering of the gnome.

"Gaz, the tinkerer is my name! And robotics are my fame!" The gnome flexed his arms, some dwarves in the crowd chuckling at the tiny creature.

On the stall a small chicken clad in metal was walking around, clucking a little with every step it took. Some smoke was puffing out of the little creature's behind.

"With this chicken our food problems are over! This wonderful pet can lay one real egg a day!"

The crowd gasped at the idea to have fresh eggs for a change. Some children already excited to taste some scrambled eggs. The dwarves in the back shaking their heads smirking, they seemed to have less faith.

Out of his pocket the gnome took a small white egg, the eyes of the children glued onto it as their mouths opened slightly, licking their lips hungrily.

The gnome slammed the egg onto the ground to show that it truly was a real egg. The children and gathered crowd gasped as the egg burst open and a small puff of black smoke came out of it, nothing more. The excited gaze of the children immediately became one of disappointment as the dwarves in the back were laughing as hard as they possibly could.

The gnomes cheeks reddened as he attempted to grab the chicken, yet the chicken seemed not in the mood. "No problem people! I'll fix this! I'll be back with more next week!"

The crowd dispersed slowly from the stall, leaving the gnome to wrestle with his own invention.

On the far end of the market a human boy stood ontop of a crate holding a piece of paper resembling a newspaper. The boy looked grimy with several smears of something black on his cheeks, most likely ink.

"Come and get your Mountain Gazette! Read the news of tomorrow today!"

The boy yelled as loud as he could. Some older dwarves here and there came to buy one of the papers. One of the dwarves opened the newspaper as he started to read the big headline: 'Fel corruption hoax of government to maintain control?!'. The dwarf sighed, just another gossip paper it seemed.

The boy nodded at the dwarf.

"It's true! It's all just a big lie to keep us in! My grandfather told me! That Bronzebeard woman just wants us as her ants. And she's the queen! That's what my dad told me!"

The dwarf peered at the boy.

"I'd be careful with saying stuff like that boy. Before ya know it, the guards be on you."

The boy looked at the dwarf with a look of defiance in his eyes. He stood extra tall on his crate as he started to yell through the market.

"Extra extra! Just in! Matriarch Bronzebeard lies about fel corruption!"

The dwarf sighed as he slowly walked away from the boy.

Mere seconds later seven guards were standing near the crate, looking at the human lad. One was wearing a black armor. It blended perfectly with his dark skin and black hair. The only difference were the bright red eyes, staring at the boy.

"Ya will pay for this, ya rat."

The older dwarf grunted as he turned around and walked back to the crate.

"Calm yourself Lurdin. It be just a boy."

The dark iron dwarf glared at the intruder.

"That is guard captain Lurdin for you! And no matter his age, he insulted our Matriarch!"

Lurdin nodded at the guards as they quickly grabbed the boy by his arms, pulling him with them.

"No! I nothing wrong! I'm innocent! Talk to my father! He'll tell you!"

The boy kept yelling long before he was taken away towards old Ironforge.

The older dwarf sighed.

"This is going a bit far…"

Lurdin just grinned as he walked off.

"No, this is only the beginning."

The next day the crate stood empty.


	3. 3 A dark history

The prison cell was six feet by five. The walls seemed carved out of the very mountain itself, yet the crystals seemed to be removed. The door was of thick metal, made to keep any manner of creature inside. The wall next to it made out of openings with thick metal bars. Not that you could see in the cell next to you. The entire facility was darker than the night. The bed was a plank of wood attached to the wall. No covers, no blanket. In the place it was either suffocating silent or filled with moans and screams from tortured prisoners. This truly was hell.

The boy just lay on his back on the cold stone floor, peering upwards into the darkness. He was a human youth of barely fourteen years old. He was only nine when the Happening hit. At the time he lived in Stormwind with his parents. He had a good life, during the day he went to school and in the evening he played with the other children in the mage quarters. Little did he know that his careless life would soon be over.

Then the day came… Everything was in chaos as more and more people were taking the Deeprun Tram to Ironforge. The warriors and fighters stayed. So did his parents. Little nine year old Alex was put on the tram alone, waving at his parents as he was rushed through the tunnels. He'd never heard of them since. Only hearing faint stories about how Stormwind was completely bombed to the ground. It still haunted him in his sleep. His friends, family,… gone.

He blew as a strain of brown hair came across his blue eyes. He needed a haircut. Not that he would get one in this place. He sighed as his stomach grumbled. "Ugh, I'm hungry."

"Dun' hope for it lad. You have several hours before ya get lunch in here and it ain't star quality either."

Alex quickly turned towards the origin of the voice, the cell next to his. "Umm sorry sir, I didn't know anyone else was here, it's… dark you see."

The man chuckled gently; "It's alright lad, I've been here long enough to kno' exactly that. But why are you here? By the sound of it ya are just a wee boy!"

Alex glared a little. He was tired of being treated as a child. "I have you know that I'm fourteen! And I got arrested by the Queen's guard!"

"So Moira be arresting younglings already eh?" The man sighed softly. "The lass has lost it.."

Alex smirked, "Lost it? She's insane and just hungry for power. We would be better off without that Bronzebeard whore!"

The man snorted, "Dun' ya ever say that again! You have no idea!"

Alex smirk faded from his face as snow from a mountain in summer. "But she is crazy. You can't deny that. Why would you be in prison if she wasn't?"

"There are things people seem to forget about Moira Bronzebeard, lad. Important things."

Alex shuffled closer to the bars, "Like what?"

"Moira always was slightly different, even as a child. Her father, King Magni wanted a son but got a daughter. Moira had to live with the constant disappointment of her father, which is hard for a little lass ya know…"

Alex snorted, "Are we playing the bad childhood card are we? Well then I have a horrible future cause both my parents and anyone I ever known died in Stormwind!"

The voice went silent for a whole minute before speaking again in a softer tone.

"I'm sorry to hear that lad. But would you let an old geezer finish his story?"

Alex nodded before realizing that the man could not see him, but before he could say anything the man continued his story.

"Later on in her life Moira got kidnapped by Dark Iron dwarves. Back in those times, every dwarf despised the Dark Iron clan. But in the end it was the best that ever happened to the lass."

Chains gently rang on the floor in the cell as the man seemed to shuffle closer to the bars.

"Moira fell in love with her captor, emperor Dagran Thaurissan. He treated the lass with kindness, love an' respect that she never got from her bloody own father. So when the Alliance came and murdered the dark Iron emperor before her eyes… she lost it. But you must understand, we thought she was under some kind of spell. Had I been there it would've never happened I assure ya."

The boy peered through the bars, "Where were you then?"

The man coughed, "Not important.. anyhow. Moira was pregnant. And when she returned to the forge she was carrying a son with her. A mere infant. Her father had been petrified by evil magic.." The man stopped talking again, coughing once as he remained quiet.

After several minutes Alex spoke again, "Are.. are you alright?"

The man seemed to wake up out of some trance as he spoke again, "I'm alright lad, just some old wounds… nothing more."

Alex nodded, "You clearly were fond of the King."

The man chuckled, "Ya could say that, indeed. Anyhow. Moira wanted to rule our people. And she did so with an iron fist. But thanks to the Lion cub Anduin, Moira let go of her claim and the council of Three Hammers was created."

Alex looked confused, "But that's not the Moira we have here now, is it?"

The voice of the man sounded saddened, "Sadly not lad.. She held her own for quite some time. She even led her dark iron army against the demon stronghold within Blackrock and reclaimed it for some time."

Alex gasped a little, "She fought against the Legion? And won?!"

"Aye, she won a battle against them. Ya can say many things about Moira, but she still is an amazing strategist."

Excitedly Alex wanted to know more, "But what happened next?"

The man chuckled lightly, "Youthful curiosity.. Well, Moira was holding Blackrock mountain for several months.. but the Legion always comes back. And they came back stronger. Legions of fel hunters stood before the Black Mountain. Moira defended it with all the might she and her Dark Iron had. However she needed reinforcements. So she send word to her uncle in Ironforge, who immediately assembled an army and went to help her. But… the Legion was also at the doorstep of the great forge… They just couldn't forsake their post.."

Silence again overmastered the man as he seemed to be grieving.

Alex looked saddened as well, "It's okay. You don't have to tell me more if you don't want to.."

The man shuffled even closer to the bars, "No! I want to. I want to make you understand."

Alex nodded, "Alright then."

The man continued, "Blackrock was overrun. Moira had no choice but to flee the city with a handful of her dark iron. But she didn't just lose the city.. No… Moira lost her son in that battle. Her last memory of the one she loved. And her grief and rage were enormous."

Alex mouth grew wide as he just stared at the man, "What happened then?"

The man sighed, "When Moira returned to Ironforge, she accused her uncle of treason. Nobody knows what happened to him after that. All that was known was that Moira took over Ironforge and when the fel corruption hit the land, she was as bitter as the wasteland."

Alex just stared into the darkness, "No wonder she's like this… But what happened to the uncle?"

The man shuffled even closer as Alex could make out a long blond beard. "Muradin Bronzebeard got put in the deepest dungeon of Ironforge."

Alex blinked, "But you said nobody knew what happened to him? How do you know?"

The man chuckled, "Simple. I am Muradin Bronzebeard."


End file.
